Common plastics factory accidents and injuries often involve heavy machinery, repetitive stress injuries, and falls.
If you were injured on the job, you could be entitled to collect workers’ comp benefits. A Lafayette workers’ compensation lawyer can help you file a claim and resolve disputes with your employer’s insurer.
Plastics Factory Workers Are Susceptible to Various Accidents
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), metal and plastic workers throughout the U.S. reported 22,710 workplace injuries in 2020. The top three causes of these injuries are:
Plastics Accidents Involving Equipment
Over 9,000 metal and plastic workers were injured due to the machinery, tools, or equipment in 2020. Such injuries can result from workers:
- Getting hit by equipment, e.g., being struck by falling or dropped objects (this is the most common type of equipment injury)
- Being trapped or crushed by equipment, e.g., if an extremity is caught in a machine
- Being struck against equipment, e.g., if they lose balance and hit a piece of machinery
Repetitive Stress Risks in Plastics Factories
People working in plastics factories typically receive specific tasks to do. For instance, they may be assigned to operate a particular piece of equipment (e.g., one machine) or perform one repetitive task (e.g., lifting heavy loads or carrying objects)
Unfortunately, repeating the same task over and over without enough breaks or variety can put undue stress on the body parts required for that task. This can result in injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome or muscle sprains.
Falls in Plastics Factories
Like many kinds of factories, plastics factories can contain multiple floors and/or require workers to operate from heights while balanced on ladders or scaffolds. If the surface on which the worker stands proves faulty, or if their employer does not give the worker necessary protective equipment, they can fall and sustain serious injuries.
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Consequences of Plastics Factory Accidents
While many jobs carry risks, the potential hazards in plastics manufacturing facilities are higher than in many other industries. Industrial accidents like those described above affect plastics factory workers in many ways. Some suffer mild injuries that they recover from within a few days. Others are permanently disabled and never able to work again.
Here are some of the most common work-related injuries suffered by metal and plastic workers in the U.S., according to the BLS:
Hand Injuries in Plastic Factories
Not only are human hands filled with many small and fragile parts (e.g., bones and nerves), but they are also what most factory workers use to do their jobs. As such, the hands are most likely to suffer due to the accident types discussed above, especially repetitive stress and heavy equipment-related incidents.
Trunk Injuries in Plastic Factories
The trunk, also called the torso, is the part of your body from which the neck and extremities extend. It includes your chest, back, stomach, and pelvis.
Back injuries are the most common types of trunk injuries among metal and plastic workers. This may be because workers can sprain their backs when engaging in strenuous tasks and because they may land on their backs when falling from heights.
Lower Extremity Injuries in Plastic Factories
Like with the hands, the lower extremities include many delicate moving parts that can easily be twisted in a fall or crushed by falling objects. Susceptible areas in the lower extremities include:
- Feet
- Ankles
- Knee
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Harm Caused by Plastics Factories in Louisiana
Per Reuters, a judge ruled that Formosa Plastics Group could not build a plastics factory in Louisiana due to risks posed to minority populations and the environment. However, Formosa still intends to build its factory and is exploring how to do so legally.
Plastics Factories Already Operating in Louisiana
Regardless of whether Formosa ever builds its facility, there are many factories already up and running, including those operated by:
- Louisiana Plastic Industries (LPI)
- ExxonMobil
- MKS Plastics LLC
Plastics Contribute to Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley”
According to ProPublica, thanks to the many plants along the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, this area has been given the nickname “cancer alley.” The fumes and chemicals put out by plastics factories contribute to the heavy air and water pollution this area suffers from.
If you believe your cancer diagnosis is an occupational disease that stems from the plastics factory where you work, you could be entitled to compensation, just the same as those harmed by plastics factory accidents and injuries.
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Plastics Factory Workers and Workers’ Compensation
If you suffer an on-the-job injury, you should report the injury immediately. There are often time limits for doing this, and you do not want a delayed report to jeopardize your benefits.
Eligibility for workers’ comp benefits may vary based on your state or your position. In Louisiana, most factory workers are eligible for this compensation.
Getting the Benefits You Deserve for Workplace Accident Injuries
While some injured workers may have no problem getting their workers’ compensation claim approved, others may run into obstacles when their employer or the employer’s workers’ comp insurance company denies or delays the claim, which often leads to frustration and financial strain. Understanding the Reasons Why Workers’ Compensation Claims Are Denied can help individuals navigate through these challenges more effectively.
A workers’ comp attorney may make it easier for you to get fair benefits by:
- Filing the claim on your behalf, ensuring you use the right forms and fill them out correctly
- Speaking directly to your employer or their insurer to work out disagreements
- Collecting evidence to help prove that you have a legitimate claim for benefits
- Representing you in virtual or in-person meetings with the other parties
- Supporting you throughout your claim by answering your questions and helping you make informed decisions
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Want Help With Your Plastics Factory Injury Case?
Contact Laborde Earles today for a free case evaluation. We help people who have suffered plastics factory accidents and injuries by fighting hard for the workers’ compensation benefits they need and deserve. Our dedicated team has recovered over $600 million for our clients. Let us help you today.
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